I would say that the reason Jack Daniels takes 4 days is because they are doing 100's or if not 1000's of gallons. I do not believe that there is a time that filtering should take. If you rinse your carbon and the carbon is still wet then you want to run the water out first by pouring your distilled liquor in and tasting to make sure the water is our then collect the distilled liquor in your keep container. I have also read the Gert Strands and looked at making the filter but opted to buy the Z-filter instead.

First off I wanted to know how much distilatte you can run through activated carbon filter system, I have 30L to run and was just curious.

Update

First I had asked the question about using spring water or distilled water, I ended up using spring water which ended up turning my distillate cloudy and a white ring near the top, next time I will use distilled water. But I did run it through my carbon filtration system and it took everything out and left it perfectly clear and no off smells. I aslo asked about what rate should you filter at and I found out through the filtering process it can only go so fast, I am not sure what the rate is but you really can only go at a certain rate anyway. I am extremely thankfull for everyones comments and suggestions and must say that everyone had great opinions. I have learned that the best way is to be adventurous and take in everyones suggestions and find out what works best for you.
Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Freebrew: I did a search for 'you make beer, you make wine' on Google and came up with lots of homebrew shops but not one that sold the Z-Filter. Could you post the actual URL?

I used a Z-Filter at a friends house and the only complaint I had was that at the end of the run you had to hold the bucket at a tilt ,ala bottling bucket,for a long time. I think I have figured out a better way to do that but I need to buy the z-filter and ain't ever gonna pay $70 for it. For $40 I'll go for it.

mike,

i would definitely filter before adding water or any flavorings. much less volume to filter and it has exactly the same effect of removing fusels/off-flavors from your distilled product.

anyone correct me if that's not true!

The site is www.makewine-makebeer.com this should get you there if now do a search on makewine-makebeer and you will come up with the site.

Why haven't i read about this? Carbon filtered a 45abv. A section of the filter tube about 3' in length got very, very warm/hot at what I figure was the point where the initial charging of water in the filter ended and the alcohol was added to the filter. This hot 3' area moved down the filter tube at the speed I figure was the speed of the fluid moving down through the carbon granuals. I guess this is some sort of catalytic reaction. Is this normal,,or do I have some nasty constituient in my distillate? The filtered fluid tastes and such just fine. Any thoughts?
ty in advance, cr

Curses, Yep, when curses are filtered from these fine spirits, a lot of heat must be expected.-Just kidding. I also experianced the same thing in 2 situations. One like yours useing a tube of carbon, per the book, and again when adding water to strong distillate. There must be a reaction between the 2 as they bond. I learned quickly, to cut my spirits down before mixing a drink, as I originally used my strong spirits, and added a lot of water to cut to drinking strength, but found I had a quite warm almost hot drink. Yuk.

I would imagine, that the same energy process would work in reverse, when distilling, and why distilling low ABV runs much hotter than High ABV runs. Around 8 or 9°C for me. At least helps you seperate the water from the booze, instead of constant taste testing.

I quit the filter column, and now just soak my juice on carbon. Works just as well for me, and is so much easier.

"There is another consideration to think about.When you mix your pure high percentage alch. with water, a lot of heat is given off. This reaction can continue on in a very miniscual scale for a good while. Vodka and clean white spirits do maure and improve with several months rest, and an occasional O2 breath. I cut my fresh and pure to 50 or 40%, put into glass carboys, 1, 3,
5 and 6.5 gal. carboys with carbon, with a 10% airspace. Occasionally pop the top and replace the air with fresh, and shake or just swirl till the carbon is all in suspension. Filters and ages it. Leave it until a portion is needed. Gets better all the time.

Lots of people post that neutral doesn't have to age. It does improve immensely with airing and more time to mate with the water added, plus the ease of the carbon filtering, and for a period of time is better than any colume filtration. If you don't have really clear spirits to start, just leave on carbon for a while, filter out the carbon coarsely, clean the carbon and add back again. With a little patience you will get a better result, and milder and cleaner drink than any of the others I have tried many times. Requires patience and the storage ability. But after all the work and time makeing it, it is well worth it."

"From MTNWALKER2:""I have a tube filter, but its a real PITA, so what i do now is take a gallon jug, toss in a rounded cup of washed carbon from brewhause, and shake it everyday for a week or so, and open the top each time for oxygen. Filter through a coffee filter, in an 8 inch ss tea strainer, changeing the filter as it slows.""

I put a little brewhaus carbon in bottle with ouput and shake it everyday for a week or less actually, and open the top each time for oxygen. Filter through a coffee filter, using large funnel (brewhaus) back into another bottle of same size - then rinse out the bottle with the carbon and it is done. I don't re-use the carbon as I am too lazy for that.

Makes a big difference and easy - My thanks to MTNWALKER2 for the idea."

I was wondering if Britta water filters can be used to filter alcohol?has anyone tried it?